How to Delete Your Gmail Account (Without Losing Your Data) | Lifehacker


It’s invaluable to have multiple e mail deal with, however it’s additionally good to know when one must go. Deleting a Gmail deal with is straightforward to do, however there are some things you have to be conscious of and do earlier than you undergo with it—particularly if you wish to maintain onto a few of your previous emails.

Download your information earlier than deleting your Gmail

First, obtain your information. You by no means know if you’re going to want an previous e mail or piece of knowledge out of your Gmail account, so it’s best to simply maintain onto all of it to be protected. Start by opening your Gmail account, then clicking your profile image within the high proper of the display. From there, hit “Manage Your Google Account.” On the left of the display, you’ll see a number of choices. Hit “Data & privacy,” then scroll to the part referred to as “Data from apps and services you use.” You ought to see a Gmail button in there. 

Google account options


Credit: Lindsey Ellefson/Google

Hit it and also you’ll see two choices: “Download your data” and “Delete a service.” When you choose the primary one, you’ll be given a listing of issues you may obtain, from calendar information to contacts to your drive to, sure, your emails. Check all you wish to obtain, but when your purpose is to delete simply your Gmail account, not essentially your entire Google account, deal with the mail. The obtain will embody messages and attachments, plus your consumer settings. You’ll be prompted to proceed to the subsequent step, the place you’ll select the way you get the information—whether or not by e mail, Drive, or one other service. 

How to delete a Gmail deal with

Once that’s completed, you may transfer on to deleting. From the identical place the place you initially selected to obtain your information, hit “Delete a service.” You’ll be prompted to enter your password and enter in an present, non-Gmail deal with. That e mail deal with will get an e mail containing a hyperlink to delete your account. You’ll be prompted to substantiate you wish to delete it after which it’s over. 

Deletion options for Google


Credit: Lindsey Ellefson/Google

When you delete your Gmail account, your emails and mail settings can be deleted and also you gained’t have the ability to use it to ship or obtain emails. No one else will have the ability to use that deal with sooner or later, both. According to Google, should you change your thoughts, you would possibly have the ability to get it again, however the tips are imprecise: “If it’s been a while since you deleted your account, you may not be able to recover the data in your account.” That’s fairly unclear, so should you’re hesitating in any respect, take into account not deleting it.